Road closures for Myrtle Beach Triathlon

October 6, 2011 at 8:55 PM EST - Updated June 25 at 2:37 PM

MYRTLE BEACH, SC The USA National Triathlon Championship Festival brings 1,400 competitors to Myrtle Beach October 8 and 9. The city says 5,000 people were in the area last year. The festival also brought in more revenue to the beach last year- almost half a million dollars.

As you would expect, road and lane closures are needed, and motorists should plan ahead for alternate routes. On Saturday, October 8, the swimming, bicycling and running event begins at the Marina Inn in Grande Dunes with a 1.2 mile swim in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Participants then bicycle 56 miles on US 17, Grissom Parkway and SC 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) and run a half-marathon (13.1 miles) on US 17. Sunday's event is much smaller and does not require the use of US 17 or SC 31.

US 17 (the "bypass") will be closed to southbound traffic from the US 17/Kings Highway split to 48th Avenue North from 5:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The intersection at 48th Avenue North will remain open, with normal traffic flows. (Saturday only)

Grande Dunes Boulevard will be closed to non-event traffic from US 17 to the Grande Dunes guardhouse from 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. NOTE: Residents of Grande Dunes, Cliffwood Estates and Bal Harbor must use Cliffwood Drive to leave and enter the neighborhoods. (Saturday only)

Marina Parkway will be closed from Grande Dunes Boulevard to 62nd Avenue North from 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday)

62nd Avenue North west of US 17 will be closed from 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. YMCA and Barc Parc patrons may access these areas by taking 38th Avenue North or 48th Avenue North to Wild Iris Drive to the back entrance of the YMCA/Barc Parc parking area. (Saturday only)

Grissom Parkway's outside westbound lane and the exit lane to SC 31 will be closed to traffic from 5:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Likewise, Grissom Parkway's outside eastbound lane and exit lane to US 17 will be closed from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. A message board south of the bridge will warn of closures. (Saturday only)

SC 31's northbound lanes will be closed from US 501 to just south of Water Tower Road from 5:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Saturday only)